麻豆视频鈥檚 astronomy program is sponsoring public lectures on explorations of Venus in Yakima and Grandview this May. The talks, "The return to Venus: What we鈥檝e learned and what鈥檚 next," are presented through the prestigious Harlow Shapley Visiting Lectureship Program of the American Astronomical Society (AAS) and will be given by Nathan McGregor, a Ph.D. student in earth and planetary sciences at the University of California, Santa Cruz.
The lectures will take place on Wednesday, May 28 at 7 p.m. in Kaminski Conference Center, Meeting Room C on the Yakima Campus and Thursday, May 29 at 7 p.m. in the Student Activity Center on the Grandview Campus. These events are free and open to the public, providing the community with a chance to engage with astronomical research and discoveries. Following each talk, participants will have an opportunity to view the night skies through the college鈥檚 telescopes.
Venus is nearly the same size and mass as Earth, yet its surface is scorching hot, dry and shrouded in thick clouds of sulfuric acid. In the early 1990s, NASA鈥檚 Magellan mission mapped the planet in remarkable detail, revealing vast volcanic plains, deformed highlands, and hints of tectonic and volcanic activity. Since then, only a few missions 鈥� such as the European Space Agency (ESA) Venus Express and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Akatsuki 鈥� have explored Venus, focusing primarily on its atmosphere, while our understanding of the surface, interior and geological history has remained frozen in time. Now, a new wave of missions from NASA and ESA is set to revolutionize our understanding of Venus鈥檚 geology, interior structure, atmosphere and climatic evolution. This talk will explore what we鈥檝e learned from past missions and what the coming decade of exploration may reveal about the history and workings of our nearest planetary neighbor.
McGregor鈥檚 visit is part of a two-day engagement designed to bring the excitement of modern astronomy and astrophysics to colleges throughout North America. In addition to the public lectures, McGregor will participate in several activities while visiting YVC, including speaking with astronomy classes and meeting with the astronomy and STEM student clubs.
McGregor grew up on his family鈥檚 farm in a small town in southern Idaho and began his undergraduate studies at the College of Southern Idaho, later transferring to Boise State University, where he earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in physics and astrophysics. McGregor鈥檚 graduate research focuses on the interior dynamics of rocky planets, particularly Venus, and how planetary composition influences the formation of atmospheres. He uses mantle convection modeling to study Venus鈥檚 interior and its role in shaping surface features over time. He also conducts laboratory experiments on meteorites to explore how planetary materials release gases, helping us understand the connection between planetary interiors, atmospheres and habitability 鈥� both in our solar system and on exoplanets. He enjoys mentoring undergraduates, improving access to STEM education and sharing planetary science with the public in ways that encourage curiosity, discussion and engagement.
This event is made possible through a partnership between AAS and NASA Community College Network, aimed at pairing community colleges with astronomers to inspire students, faculty and the public alike through the latest advances in our understanding of the universe.
YVC offers a beginning level course of astronomy which seeks to describe the workings of the solar system and its various components, the structure of the universe as we see it, and the theories behind the origins of the universe鈥檚 many components.
For more information about the public lectures, please contact Astronomy Instructor Zach Schierl at zschierl@yvcc.edu.
NOTE: Telescope viewing is weather permitting. If skies are too cloudy, the post-lecture viewings will be cancelled.